Evolving Anesthesia Care Models: Leveraging CRNAs for Sustainable Coverage

Across the U.S., hospitals and surgical centers are facing a growing provider shortage—particularly among anesthesiologists. At the same time, demand for surgical and procedural services continues to rise, especially in ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs). This imbalance has forced many healthcare organizations to rethink their anesthesia coverage models. In this episode of Value-Based Care Insights, host Daniel J. Marino sits down with Dr. Thomas Pallaria, Assistant Professor and Director of the Nurse Anesthesiology Program at Rutgers School of Nursing, to discuss the evolving role of Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs). Together, they explore the growing reliance on CRNAs to meet demand, the benefits and challenges of integrating them into care models, and the implications for hospitals, anesthesiologists, and patient outcomes.